Groups mull over idea of more community-owned utilities

Luther Turmelle, North Bureau Chief

Published
12:00 am EST, Thursday, February 2, 2012

FARMINGTON -- When Connecticut's 2012 legislative session begins next week, expect issues surrounding the performance of the state's two major utilities, Connecticut Light & Power and The United Illuminating, last fall to dominate discussions.

But if a meeting held Thursday is any indication, lawmakers and the newly created Department of Energy and Environmental Protection have differing visions on how to address the reliability issues that plagued the utilities in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene and the late October snowstorm. The meeting, convened by several labor groups and attended by about 20 people, focused on whether more communities should join the seven statewide, including Wallingford, that have publicly owned electric utilities.

State Rep. Vickie Nardello, D-Prospect, said hearings will be held that will include details about what is involved in communities starting their own electric companies. Nardello is co-chairman of the Energy and Technology Committee.

"The biggest issue in Connecticut is whether we have the power of eminent domain to acquire the lines," Nardello said, referring to the electric distribution network that brings the power to homes and businesses. "That's something we may need to get an opinion from the attorney general on."

Even if eminent domain could be used to acquire lines, "you would have to make them whole," Nardello said of the utilities, referring to the complex and delicate process of determining the value of the distribution network.

But Jonathan Schrag, DEEP's deputy commissioner for energy, called such a move "a significant enterprise for municipalities to undertake." The agency, he said, favors launching a pilot program to promote distributed generation around the state.

"We need to rebuild the grid from the bottom up," Schrag said. That would involve, over time, communities acquiring generating units like small gas powered turbines and creating mini-electric grids that cover no more than one square mile.

The pilot program that Schrag envisions would create distributed generation clusters around town centers. Participating municipalities would have to make an investment in generation equipment as well as the wiring need to establish the mini-grids.

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